announced that 12 “healthy,” low-fat pigs were engineered by the Institute of Zoology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, NPR’s The Salt reports. Their research was aimed at breeding hardier pigs that would be more economical for farmers to raise, especially during colder weather. The resulting swine have about 24 per cent less body fat than usual.

Zhao led the research team which used an advanced gene-editing technique called CRISPR-Cas9, the researchers created animals that could regulate their body temperature more efficiently by burning fat. The researchers chose a breed that’s renowned for the quality of its meat, Zhao said. Adding that he suspects the genetic modification process wouldn’t affect the flavour of the pork.

According to NPR, fellow researchers deem the development to be important. “It demonstrates a way that you can improve the welfare of animals at the same as also improving the product from those animals — the meat,” R. Michael Roberts, a professor who edited the paper for the journal, reportedly said.

Whether or not GM low-fat bacon makes its way to consumers remains to be seen. And Roberts reportedly expressed his skepticism, adding: “I very much doubt that this particular pig will ever be imported into the USA — one thing — and secondly, whether it would ever be allowed to enter the food chain.”